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Oakley

♀ Girl

Pronounced OHK-lee /ˈoʊk.li/High

Meaning: Oak clearing or oak meadow; from Old English ac (oak) + leah (clearing, meadow)High

In 30 seconds: An English place-name surname meaning 'oak clearing,' now trending as a girls' first name. Its most famous historical bearer is sharpshooter Annie Oakley, giving it a fearless, frontier spirit.

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Origin HighEnglish

MeaningOak clearing or oak meadow; from Old English ac (oak) + leah (clearing, meadow)

U.S. rank (2025)#156 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births1,933 girls (0.11% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 15,352

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Oakley is an English topographic surname composed of Old English ac (oak) and leah (woodland clearing or meadow). Several villages in England bear the name. It became a surname through the medieval practice of naming families after the landscape features near their homes.

As a first name, Oakley arrived in U.S. birth records largely on the coattails of the nature-surname trend of the 2010s. It entered the top 200 for girls by the early 2020s, buoyed by admiration for Annie Oakley as a cultural icon and by parents seeking rugged, outdoorsy names.

Did you know? Annie Oakley's real surname was Mozee — she took the stage name Oakley from the Cincinnati neighborhood of Oakley, reportedly chosen for its crisp sound.

Overall data confidence 92%

Behind the Name — Oakley — etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

OakleeOakleighOaklie

Nicknames

OakOaks

Famous Bearers

★Annie Oakley (1860-1926)
American sharpshooter and exhibition shooter

If you like Oakley…

Hadley— Old English place-name surname rising for girls

Harley— nature-adjacent surname name with a similar two-syllable rhythm

Brinley— modern -lee-ending girl name with the same outdoorsy vibe

Whitney— lands in the same popularity range

Brynley— a fellow English choice

Explore names like Oakley

By themenature place-name surname-style outdoorsy

By meaningEarth / Nature

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Oakley mean?

Oakley means 'oak clearing' or 'oak meadow,' from Old English ac (oak) and leah (clearing).

How do you pronounce Oakley?

It's said OHK-lee — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Oakley a boy or girl name?

Oakley is used for both but ranks predominantly in girls' data in recent years.

How popular is Oakley?

Oakley ranked #157 for U.S. girls in 2024.